Saturday, June 7, 2014

An Open Letter to Jaya Bachchan... and more.

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Sorry about my long absence... I have some technical problem happening here. It's impossible for me to access my blog from my android phone. Which means I have to be home to post here. And since I work on an antiquated laptop with snail speed, it makes the entire operation somewhat daunting. But please don't give up on me! Keep those comments rolling...

This picture was clicked by my husband in Hong Kong last week.

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An open letter to Jaya
Bachchan…

Dear Jaya,

I have known you for over forty years. I
write this in anguish and pain. You are a senior representative of the Samajwadi
Party in Parliament. But much more than your political avatar, you are a
sensitive woman - a wife, mother,
grand-mother. Why have you not spoken up against the sexual atrocities being
committed in Uttar Pradesh involving defenceless young girls? Or against what
happened in Meghalaya with a Garo woman who had her head blown off for
resisting her attackers? What crime had this 35- year-old tribal woman from the
South Garo Hills district in Meghalaya committed? Obviously, it was the same
one committed by the two teenage Dalit girls strung up on a mango tree in front
of their humble hut in UP’s Badaun district earlier - all three victims
were born into wretchedness. They died
in wretchedness.Their crime was poverty. We in India, demand justice, all the
while knowing, there’s none. Not so long as Akhilesh Yadav, the brash, young
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh brazenly refuses to acknowledge the enormity of
the crime. And he is not alone. Which makes me wonder : Has that most awful
four-letter-word – RAPE – lost its impact on a society that has to deal with
multiple rapes on a daily basis? It
certainly looks like nobody is willing to deal with these crimes, least of all,
the authorities in UP. Here’s a nauseating comment from your senior SP leader
Ramgopal Yadav, “ In most places when relationships between boys and girls come
out in the open, it is termed as rape.” Jaya! Really!! Mulayam Singh’s response
was still more arrogant, “ Google something else. Media’s job is to speculate.You
do your work and let us do our work.” In other words ( pardon the French
), “F**k off!”

Jaya, I respect your outspokenness. And I have
known you to speak your mind on several issues in the past. I appeal to you through
this column, to break your silence on these ghastly, grisly, gory incidents,
which have made it to the International press and generated enough of a
backlash to provoke UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon into issuing a strongly
worded condemnation of the Badaun incident. He damned the ‘Boys will be boys’ comment and added,
“Together we can empower more people to understand that violence against women
degrades us all.” Going beyond the terrible press India has been receiving in
this case, and also going beyond commercial issues (“ The advisory will impact
tourism… foreign women will avoid visiting India ”), the more immediate concern
is this: what can we do to stop such savagery? Jaya Bachchan, you can certainly
play a powerful role in educating your political mentors by pointing out the
immorality of their despicable behavior to them. If they fail to pay any heed
to your advice, it would be best for you to disassociate yourself from this
pathetic lot and resign from such a morally bankrupt party. That would win you a
great deal of national respect. Can you
do that? Will you?

I was in Meghalaya a few weeks ago, and had
the chance to interact with exceptional Garo women. We discussed several
challenges faced by them in a rapidly changing society which is slowly coming
to terms with new cultural contours that don’t always respect tribal
traditions. Tragically,the blood curdling attempted rape and eventual murder of
the 35-year-old Garo wife-and-mother could have happened to any woman in the
village. Her assailants used an AK-rifle to blow her head off in the presence
of her five children, after locking up her husband. There is cold bloodedness,
sadism and sexual frustration evident here. Just as there was in the Badaun
case. And just as there is in every rape that was ever perpetrated. Let’s not
create categories for rape (“ This one involved guns…. and is therefore worse than the other ones which
used knives, ropes, stones”). A rape is a rape. It’s a crime not just against
women but against humanity itself. Unless we are prepared to see it in that
context, we will continue to downplay rape as something that happens when men
can’t find a willing partner and attack the first woman… child… they come
across.

Do
it Jaya. Force the SP top dogs to act against the murderers. You owe it to your
countless fans. And to yourself.

****************

Mumbai Mirror last Saturday...

Smriti Irani keeps the
flag flying….

For
Smriti Irani, achhey din aa gaye hain. And why not? On the dramatic day of the swearing in ceremony ,Smriti appeared
on several channels when it was known she was going to be an important member
of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet. Smriti presented a picture of
equipoise and confidence. There wasn’t a trace of exaggerated emotion as she
calmly answered the standard questions (“How has the journey been so far… how
do you see the journey for the next few years?”). An overawed Arnab Goswami
gushed uncharacteristically as he kept repeating how Smriti at 38 , was the
youngest cabinet minister to hold office
at the centre. He also mentioned Najma Heptullah’s age several times ( 78). And
remarked how Najma was the oldest minister in Modi’s cabinet. And I thought to
myself how perceptions have altered! Two strong, determined women representing
different generations in the same cabinet. The best part about Smriti Irani’s
remarkable career track has been her visible growth ( pardon, the pun). More,
much more than her weight, it is her impressive evolution as an articulate and
dynamic political leader, respected for her sobriety, clarity, modesty and
commitment that has propelled her to her current job( Minister HRD). These are
four key qualities which have paid Smriti rich dividends.When asked for the
hundredth time about her ‘journey’, Smriti replied simply and patiently, “Let
me be honest. I come from a lower middle class home. When I was growing up, all
we could think of was having a roof over our head and a job to hang on
to.” This is the sort of transparent,
down to earth admission that today’s India immediately connects with. No
bombast. No bragging. The follow up question about losing in Amethi to Rahul
Gandhi was dealt with equally gracefully when Smriti acknowledged her defeat
without making any silly excuses. There was maturity and balance in all her
responses. And this is what her admirers will look out for as she takes charge
of her portfolio and gets down to work.

Smriti sure has come a long, long way from
the time she was the darling of millions, playing the role of an overburdened ‘bahu’
in Ekta Kapoor’s breakthrough serial which had the nation completely hooked.
Her transition from a mega television star to a BJP spokesperson happened
seamlessly. At each turning point, Smriti found just the right words, the right
tone, the right perspective. This couldn’t have been easy at a time when Modi
was the favourite punching bag of the media and was routinely hauled over the
coals for his controversial remarks and unconventional policies. Unlike her
more agitated counterparts thrust into this unenviable role (defending the indefensible,
night after tiresome night). Smriti remained super calm, opting for measured
discourse over high pitched rhetoric. It was said she was Narendra Modi’s
chosen one. It was equally obvious why she was in such an envied position. It
would be most unfair to sneer at Smriti for being the Boss’ pet. Managing so many egos
within and outside her party, will be her new challenge. But what’s the bet
Smriti will score over some of her more aggressive colleagues and maintain the
dignity of her office? That’s the thing about some fortunate Power Ladies of
today – they know exactly how to maintain the all important balance in their
lives. We in Asia, are accustomed to women in positions that come with mega
clout.We are equally accustomed to women so frighteningly marginalized, they
don’t even have a shot at survival, forget anything else.

In a
scenario that is so dramatically divergent, someone like a Smriti Irani stands
out just for being a sensible ‘aam aurat’, who has worked bloody hard to get to
her position. From this moment on, her life will be transformed forever. She
will be watched and monitored like never before. A huge responsibility rests on
her shoulders. And the media, as we know too well, is not known to be kind
towards high profile individuals dealing with challenging assignments.
Somewhere, there is a nasty little spot inside most critics who wait for signs
of weakness…. who wait for mistakes…. who wait to pounce on someone in the
limelight. Especially if that someone is like a Smriti Irani … a
comfortable-in-her-skin politician, ready to break the stereotype and take on
adversaries, without once losing her dignity and self respect. Most
significantly, Smriti does not threaten other women. One generation has grown
up thinking of her as the beleaguered woman next door. A friendly padosan they
can enjoy chai ,dhokla and gupshup with.
This is a huge plus – and Smriti is smart enough to recognize it as one.

Smriti Irani has made ‘Gharelu’ cool. Good for Smriti
Irani.

*************

This appeared in The Week...

Why I feel sorry for Sonia Gandhi….

I am feeling exceedingly sorry for Sonia
Gandhi - not the politician, but the mother.
Look at what happened recently – the soul destroying defeat of the Congress
party, led by her beloved son, Rahul Gandhi was blamed squarely on the ma-beta
combo. Not only was this the most humiliating moment for India’s oldest
political party, but for Sonia Gandhi, it was also an admission that her son
had flopped. And flopped badly. Sonia
did indeed take that to heart, as was obvious at the briefest press conference
any national leader has held, during which Sonia conceded defeat, and all but
yanked a broadly smiling Rahul away from the harsh glare of the spotlight,
before the poor chap made an even bigger
fool of himself. Yes, she managed to recover her equilibrium a little after
scowling, sulking and refusing to congratulate Narendra Modi after he was
declared the prime minister designate. Since then, she has consistently refused
to smile! Yes, she and sonny boy did the right thing by attending the historic
swearing in ceremony and thereby avoiding another controversy. But Sonia’s grim
visage told its own story. That particular narrative has a lot to do with her
disappointment with Rahul – the Prince who failed to deliver a royal result.
It’s hard to say who one feels sorrier for – the mother or the son, in this
case. My sympathies are with Sonia.

Let’s be honest, she has led a tough life.
Not just as the widow of an assassinated prime minister, but also as one of the
most feared / hated women on the subcontinent. No matter what her admirers
claim, Sonia never managed to win our hearts. Whether that had to do with her
aloofness, or the fact that her Italian origins acted as a barrier, despite her
best efforts to become ‘one of us’, the truth is Sonia remained an outsider.
Very few people understood what she was all about. The original sympathy wave
was eventually replaced by resentment. This simmering anger against her was
rarely articulated, such was her power and hold over the party. Sonia was
perceived as a deep, secretive, closed individual, who showed zero tolerance
towards anybody who opposed her diktats. The ‘official’ Prime Minister,
Manmohan Singh, was reduced to a pathetic figurehead, unable or unwilling to
assert himself, particularly during his second lackluster term in office. All
this was discussed soto voce by courtiers too timid to take on ‘Madam’. And
soon this paranoia extended to Madam’s son, the sweet Dimpled Darling, who
lived in La La land and did what Mummy wanted him to.

Sonia must have nurtured many dreams for
her handsome boy. If that were not the case, she would have left the country
right after Rajiv Gandhi’s tragic death, as many Gandhi family well wishers
expected her to. But Sonia is made of sterner stuff – she stayed. And waited.
And that is where her calculations misfired. For all the careful grooming and
nurturing she invested in her mild mannered son, the poor chap just couldn’t
live up to the high expectations that were thrust on him, not just by his
mother, but the entire country.

Rahul is still a happy-go-lucky bachelor
boy. That must worry Sonia the mother. While Priyanka put up a fine show
campaigning for mum and brother, there is the Robert Vadra factor looming large
on the political horizon. Uma Bharati had made a categorical statement saying
the next government would send Vadra to jail. Apart from this threat and other
vexing family issues, Sonia will be coping with stepped up criticism from
within the party she has so far controlled and dominated, without having to
tolerate even a murmur of criticism against her autocratic style of functioning .With Congressman Milind Deora
boldly opening the Pandora’s box and questioning Rahul’s leadership, Sonia has
a tough job of fire fighting ahead of
her. Given the fragile state of her own health (surely, it’s time she revealed
the nature of this mysterious ailment?), Sonia’s decline in strictly political
terms, seems imminent and inevitable. This may be the hardest part for Sonia to
swallow. And one wonders - what next? Will Rahul finally find a suitable
girl and bring her home to mummy? Will Priyanka decide to take the plunge and
relieve both – her mother and brother of their responsibilities? Will the
family business declare bankruptcy and call it a day after six decades of
running an enterprise called India?

Above all, will Sonia the Supermom, sensibly
step back and allow her son to make up his own mind as to what he wants to do
with his life? Clearly, Rahul has not inherited the dominant political gene
from the Gandhi family pool. Sonia needs to respect the verdict of the country,
and that verdict is pretty unambiguous -
Rahul is not the change India was looking for.

I love your open letter to Jaya Bachchan. I really wish she read this and used her powers in a way that could bring some justice of any kind to the women in UP and in general and some day we can hope for stricter laws for rape. Everyone wants death penalty for rape and only that can instill some kind of fear in sexually frustrated men who think of all women as sex objects and their own private property to do whatever they like.

M'am, you have written some great words above.I hope Mrs.Bachchan does take some action.But as women and housewives, and employees many of us women should stop behaving like Marie Antoinettes and actually do something in their own small way.It has to be a collective effort to support these woman leaders who wish to make a change. BTW Loved your TOI Article 'The Ballad of the Endangered Indian Pen'

Will things ever improve for women? We have suffered in the hands of oppressors for decades ,we write, talk, hold candle light marches and then have to go home and tell our daughters to be safe and not venture out late, wear certain type of clothes, be in touch all the time while things never change. its sad and you are right the people we elect can make a difference by changing the law, making it more stringent for offenders specially crime against women, lets hope the concerned people are reading!

Samajwadi party wouldn't care if jaya Bachchan resigned or stayed. It is Maneka Gandhi who is designated the "Women & child welfare minister" portfolio. She has to bring about fast track special courts to deal with rape cases with women police stations attached to a woman magistrate's office & an expert medical team to check the authenticity of the complaint everywhere. Justice should be speedy. Maneka, are you listening ?

Shobhaa, there should be a spam control in your blog before somebody reports about the kind of vulgarity in the links provided in the comments' section. Or is it your new strategy to attract comments ?

Jaya Bachchan is as much a political person as her hubby is the exact opposite. She is bound to do this sort of thing till her term as a Rajya Sabha member expires. That is it. Hence, do not expect any miracle on that front.

[2]

There was a lot of hullaboo about Smrit's flawed declaration of her degree and its correction in her latest declaration. Yet the rolly-poly young woman took the whole thing in her stride. If I were to be in Arnab's position, I would have gone ga-ga over the Irani gal. And perhaps you would have done the same. She is a pretty face with one of the sharpest brains. Bully for her!

[3]

Rahul Baba has proven to be India's clown prince who made an ass of himself.

I have been making fun of him for ages and I knew that it would come only to this turn of events.

But, I have no sympathy for Sonia, because of I have been saying for ages that she is a moll in the employ of Pakistan and the elements of the erstwhile KGB - both entities out to dismember India. Her mystery ailment will sooner or later take her out of India for treatment and in all probability, she may never return. Rahul, Priyanka and Robert Vadra would be in two along with Sonia's grand kids. That would be that. If Modi is a clever guy, he would say "good riddance" in such an eventuality and concentrate on governance. Watch this space!

Agree on JB. Shez been a very talented actor, spoke against rape on young women in the past. I wonder, what's stopping her, now. For sure, she's an intelligent woman and time to bang the door on the brainless yadavs of the SP. As a woman and a human being, she mustt distant herself from SP.

I admire your writing style. I wish Jaya Bachchan would respond to your open letter. I don't think she would have much say being a MP. But someone needs to talk to these politicians about the rape epidemic India is facing. I stay in the United States and the only time I am being asked about home is questions pertaining to rape. My own advisor asked me once what is it with your country an the rapes? I could only explain about the uneducated men doing it. But reasoning fails when you read abut rapes on a daily basis. We need voices to address to the concerns.

Also, I could not control my giggle on reading about Smriti's visual growth (forgive, the pun). You can discuss facts and reality not forgetting the humor which is an oxygen to keep us going. Well said!!

I am surprised to read a news item today stating that a Road has been named after late Father of Priyanka Chopra at Yari Road. Does it make sense?. What is his achievements and service to the civil society in the first place? Is it bcos he happens to be father of a bollywood star? Col.Sandeep Unikrishnan, who laid his life during 26/11 Taj attack in the line of duty, is yet to get a road named after him, despite the proposal lying with the state govt for the last 3 years and here is some nondescript doctor gets it without any sweat. What kind of world we live in?

Jaya Tai is still burdened by the debt caused by the bankruptcy of Amitabh's company...These criminal politicians used Amar Singh to bait Bachhan's by giving him relief from debt and then offered her Samajwadi ticket to get some goodwill for SP. Now if she says anything against these goons, she may have to leave the party or they may threaten also to kill her...The moral of the story is never take help from goons and criminals. Amar Singh is kicked out...Mulla Mulayam singh is next.

Hey Maa De welcome back,I did miss your posts...nice pic (looking cool) clicked by Mr Dilip De.Only after reading your post on jaya bachchan I got to know she holds such a powerful post,your grieviance against her is very valid,definitely a matter to think about(bcoz I remember during Nirbhaya episode she came openly and spoke about the incident then why not now?when it matters most,a good wakeup call by u to her -hope she does what is expected of her.Its good to follow your posts it make me aware of the political scenario ,where we are sleeping and urgent need to wake up,thankfully your posts are not boring but real and meaningful with reminders at the right time.About smiriti irani initially when you supported her(undergraduate controversy)I was skeptical but after reading your post now I understand the reason behind,best of luck to fiery smriti irani.Hope you find a way to avoid long absence from posting.

You are not aware about UP situation. Before i keep my point, i condemn any kind of sexual harassment and rape. In UP, What RamGopal says is true upto some extents. If the love of boys and girls (If It belong to enemy family or inter cast generally) then, Family of Girls feel ashamed and they retaliate with action like murder their own child, keep false allegations against boy's family. Many case had happened in my region in front of my eyes. You had to come UP, watch UP and then observe culture of UP, its full of communistic, Cattiest. People had create pseudo prestige. Because lower cast people feel more exploited so they had took action against their daughter. But this is not related to every case. Please visit UP once, you will not know ground reality by sitting in AC room and roaming around Bangkok. The curse is people talked a lot about these case but do nothing, Have you try to reach girls family till now?. I don't weather you will publish this comment or not

Hi,I am a huge fan of yours.My question to you what Jaya and Smriti can do in this?I understand they should have some sentivity towards these case which ofcourse you have shown your blog.And then???Chapter closes.The very moment when you are busy shopping, dining and writing , one of your favourite stuff, thousands of exploitations are done and out of that only one or two is highlighted.Not to forget the ones that we don't remember now:)

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